Iowa Gov. Kim Reynolds defends use of state-funded airplane for journey

DES MOINES, Iowa (Gray Media Iowa Capitol Bureau) – Gov. Kim Reynolds is responding to criticism over her use of state-funded planes for journey, saying she doesn’t remorse utilizing the plane for official enterprise.

See Reynolds full response under:

The Des Moines Register reported the state bought a airplane in 2024 utilizing roughly $4.5 million in COVID-19 aid cash for the Iowa State Patrol.

Reynolds stated she makes use of a number of state planes and that her flights account for 3% of the journeys taken on the airplane bought in 2024. She stated the plane is primarily utilized by the Iowa State Patrol for aerial searches for lacking individuals and different investigations.

Reynolds stated time constraints make it troublesome to journey the state for official enterprise and that she is utilizing sources the state already has.

She says the airplane is just not hers.

“I don’t feel bad about doing it. It’s how I get out and get into the state and actually accomplish more, as well as doing my job here. So, I can work all morning sometimes and have back-to-back meetings and then get to an event in northwest Iowa if it’s on the schedule,” Reynolds stated.

State House Minority Leader Brian Meyer held a press convention the place he displayed a poster that includes Reynolds’ picture on a airplane. The poster, titled “Fiscal Death Spiral,” listed financial points Iowa Democrats have warned about resulting from Republican tax cuts.

Meyer stated Republicans ought to promote the airplane and direct the earnings towards different state packages.

“It is outrageous that she is using that airplane for political purposes,” Meyer stated Thursday. “And again, we will be offering the opportunity for the Republicans to do the right thing to get rid of the airplane and we will have a proposal to use that money after we get rid of that airplane, use the money from the sale to boost up unemployment benefits for people that have their jobs shipped overseas.”

Reynolds stated it was the state’s commissioner of public security, Stephen Baynes, who beneficial the funding be used on a brand new airplane for the division. She stated Baynes informed her the Department of Public Safety wanted a brand new, bigger airplane to maintain up with investigations within the state.

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